Hillsboro recorder., 1887-11-17

found guilty by verdict OF jury, and
afterwards sentenced to be hanged for
the murder of Matthias j. Degan. An
appeal was taken from such finding and
sentence, to the supreme court of the
state. That court, upon final hearing,
and after mature delibcration, uuani-
mously affirmed the judgment Of the court
below. The case now comes before me
by petition of the defendants for consid-
Grafton, as governor of the state. If the
letters of Albert Parsons, Adolph Fischer,
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10 IoqlIa 10 lIed aql uodn IoAsnqM 3l!n5
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pInoo 'uopIsd v Ssuonpod polap!suo2o
oq 6sql uso 'maql lsu!pSs paounouoId
sou9Iuys aql 10 uol1lnmmoo 10 AoIam
asuyeSu aJsnSusI }saSuoIls aql u! 5u!lsal
-oId puu ..'qlpop 40 GlIsq!b, =! sssIdxa
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cptirc innoce lcc of the crime of which
they stand convicted. A careful consid-
Grafton of the evidence in the record OF
the trial of the parties, as we'll as Of all al
legged and claimed FIR them outside OF
the record, has failed to produce upon
my mind any impression tending to i'm
peach the verdict of the jury, or the
judgment of the trial court, OF of the su-
preme court affirming the guilt of these
parties. Satisfied, therefore, as am, Of
their guilt, / am precluded from consid-
ering the question of the commutation of
the sentence of Albert r. Parsons, Adolph
Fischer, George Engel and Couis Louis
Lining to imprisonment in the peniten.
tiary, as they emphatically declare they
will not accept such commutation.
Samuel Fielden, Michael Schwab end
August spies unite in the petition for
Executive clemency." Ficldcn and
Schwab, in addition, present separate
and supplementary petitions for a COM
mutation of their sentences. While, as
said above, I am satisfied Of the guilt Of
all the parties, as found in the verdict OF
ihe jury, which was sustained by the
| judgment OF the courts, most careful
c ,nsideration Of the whole SUBJECT leads
me TO the conclusion that the sentence Of
the law as IT, Samuel Fieldcn and Michael
schwab may be modified MS to each Of
them in the interest OF humanity and
without doing violence to public justice.
/ And as 10 said Samuel Fielden and Mi
chael Schwab, the sentence is commuted to
imprisonment in the penitentiary for life.
| As 20 all the other above named defend
ants, ] do not feel justified in interfering
With the Sentence OF the court. While
] would have gladly come TO different
conclusion IN regard to the sentence Of
the defendants, August Spies, Adolph
Fischer, George Engel, Albert r. Par
sons and Louis Lining, / regret to say that
under a solemn sense Of my obligations Of
office, have been unable TO do so.
RICHARD ]. 0GLEsBY, Governor.
When the news of the commutation Of
the sentence Of Fielden and Schwab was
received at the Jail, there was an extra
ordinary scene OF activity. The news
was sent to the relatives Of all the con-
demned men and in short time they be-
gan to arrive at the iaii, and the first Of
the women to come wa' Mrs. Schwab.
Soon after Schwab was brought from his
cell TO the main Office. His wife quickly
advanced TO him and throwing her arms
about his neck burst into tear. Schwab
returned the embrace in q calm manner
and soon the two were chatting quietly
together. After this, Spies and Fisher
were brought from their cell and taken
to the Jail library. Engel was brought
to the private Office Of Jailer Folz. This
was done for the purpose Of allowing rel
atiyes to take their last interviews. The
first one Of the women to arrive afteI
Mrs. Schwab was Miss Engel, daughter
Of the condemned anarchist. When The
two met in the private Office there was an
outburst Of grief, which il is impossible
to describe. The father and daughter
clung to each other and sobbed convul
siyely. Their conversation was in Ger
man and listened to only by Deputy Ole
son. Then came Mrs. Spies, mother o.
August. She had been waiting outside
for an hour and half. Her sObs coult
he heard through the corridors Of thl
building. She did not stay long in tn
library with her son, and on her exi
from The Jail, Mrs. Fischer was admitted
She went into the library, and her lamen
tations were heard above tho tramp o
the deputies. who swarmed about III
places. But the crowning scene Of al
was the visit Of Nina Van Zaudt, tie prox,
wife Of Spies. She was conducted 10 th
library by Deputy Eason. As she walket
through the main office she betrayed NJ
emotion, but the moment she saw Au
gust, however, her demeanor completed
changed. aud there was look, then
gasp, and In tricc the lovers were II
each others arms. A number Of CuriOu
reporters and officers crowded up 10 th
door Of the library, but it was quickl
shut by deputy. The interview betwcel
the prisoner and his faithful devote
lasted nearly a half hour.
Mrs. Lucy Parsons created scene I
the Criminal Court building about tel
o'clock at night. Approaching the doc
which leads TO the jail-yard, she demand
cd permission TO proceed. This was dc
nica. ''But I must 90 in 20 see my hu'
band" exclaimed Mrs. Parsons. "Yo
cannot,n was the firm reply. Then Oh